Suriname Demographics

What is the population of Suriname?

Population 609,569
Population Growth Rate 1.15%
Urban Population 69.7%
Population in Major Urban Areas PARAMARIBO (capital) 278,000
Nationality Noun Surinamer(s)
Nationality Adjective Surinamese
Ethnic Groups Hindustani (also known locally as ""East Indians""; their ancestors emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the 19th century) 37%, Creole (mixed white and black) 31%, Javanese 15%, ""Maroons"" (their African ancestors were brought to the count
Languages Spoken Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo (Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is native language of Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca among others), Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese

Suriname Health Information

What are the health conditions in Suriname?

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate - female 15-49 45.6%
Death Rate - deaths/1,000 population 6.15
Drinking Water Source - percent of rural population improved 88.4%
Drinking Water Source - percent of total population unimproved 4.8%
Drinking Water Source - percent of urban population improved 98.1%
Food or Waterborne Disease (s) bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Health Expenditures - percent of GDP 5.3%
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate 1%
HIV/Aids Deaths 100
Hospital Bed Density - beds/1,000 population 3.1
Infant Mortality Rate - female deaths/1,000 live births 23.21
Infant Mortality Rate - male deaths/1,000 live births 32.54
Infant Mortality Rate - total deaths/1,000 live births 27.99
Major Infectious Diseases - degree of risk very high
Maternal Mortality Rate - deaths/100,000 live births 130
Obesity - adult prevalence rate 25.1%
People Living with HIV/AIDS 3,700
Physicians Density - physicians/1,000 population .91
Sanitation Facility Access - percent of total population unimproved 19.7%
Sanitation Facility Access - percent of urban population improved 88.4%
Sanitation Facility Access - percent of rural population improved 61.4%
Total Fertility Rate - children born/woman 2.04
Underweight - percent of children under five years 5.8%
Vectorborne Disease (s) dengue fever and malaria

Suriname Life Expectancy

How long do people live in Suriname?

Life Expectancy at Birth 71 Years
Life Expectancy at Birth - female 73 Years
Life Expectancy at Birth - male 69 Years
Median Age 28 Years
Median Age - female 28 Years
Median Age - male 27 Years

Suriname Infant Mortality - per 1,000 live births

Suriname median age, birth rate and death rates

Birth Rate - births/1,000 population 17
Death Rate - deaths/1,000 population 6.15
Median Age 28 Years
Median Age - female 28 Years
Median Age - male 27 Years
Net Migration Rate - migrant(s)/1,000 population .57
Population Growth Rate 1.15%
Sex Ratio 0-14 Years - male/female 1.04
Sex Ratio 15-24 Years - male/female 1.04
Sex Ratio 25-54 Years - male/female 1.04
Sex Ratio 55-64 Years - male/female 1.01
Sex Ratio at Birth - male/female 1.05
Sex Ratio of Total Population - male/female 1.01
Sex Ratio Over 64 Years - male/female .77

Suriname Medical Information

What are the health conditions in Suriname?

Medical Facilities and Health Information

Medical care, including emergency medical care, is limited in many areas and does not meet U.S. standards. There is one public emergency room in Paramaribo, and only a small ambulance fleet providing emergency transport with limited first response capabilities. The emergency room has no neurosurgeon, and other medical specialists may not always be available. In general, hospital facilities are not air conditioned, although private rooms with individual air conditioning are available at extra cost and on a space-available basis. Emergency medical care outside Paramaribo is limited, and is virtually non-existent in the interior of the country.

The yellow fever vaccine is recommended for all travelers over 9 months of age. Rabies risk is present; all dog and bat bites or scratches should be taken seriously and post-exposure prophylaxis sought. Insect precautions are recommended. Due to the presence of Schistosomiasis in some of the freshwater bodies, avoidance of freshwater exposure is recommended.

Suriname Education

What is school like in Suriname?

Literacy - female 84.1%
Literacy - male 92.3%
Literacy - total population 89.6%
Literacy Definition age 15 and over can read and write
School Life Expectancy - female 13 Years
School Life Expectancy - male 11 Years
Total School Life Expectancy - (primary to tertiary) 12 Years

Suriname Literacy

Can people in Suriname read?

Literacy - female 84.1%
Literacy - male 92.3%
Literacy - total population 89.6%
Literacy Definition age 15 and over can read and write
Predominant Language Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo (Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is native language of Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca among others), Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese

Suriname Crime

Is Suriname a safe place to visit?

Crime Information

Criminal activity throughout the country has shown a slight increase since September 2010 and travelers, including U.S. citizens, may be viewed as targets of opportunity. Burglary, armed robbery, and violent crime occur with some frequency in Paramaribo and in outlying areas. Pick-pocketing and robbery are common in the major business and shopping districts of the capital. Visitors should avoid wearing expensive or flashy jewelry and should not display large amounts of money in public.

There have been several reports of criminal incidents in the vicinity of the major tourist hotels. Night walks, outside the immediate vicinity of the hotels, are not recommended, especially if you are alone. Visitors should specifically avoid the Palm Garden area (“Palmentuin” in Dutch) after dark, as there is no police presence and it is commonly the site of criminal activity.

Theft from vehicles is infrequent, but does occur, especially in areas near the business district. Drivers are cautioned not to leave packages and other belongings in plain view in their vehicles. There have been a few reports of carjackings within Paramaribo, mainly in residential areas. When driving, car windows should be closed and doors locked. The use of public minibuses is discouraged, due to widespread unsafe driving and poor maintenance. Taxis in Suriname are not clearly identified; they do not display the “Taxi” sign. As there are no meters in the taxis, you should verify the price before entering the taxi. The Embassy recommends that you use hotel concierge taxis.

Travel to the interior is usually trouble-free, but there have been reports of tourists being robbed. Police presence outside Paramaribo is minimal, and banditry and lawlessness are occasionally of concern in the cities of Albina and Moengo, and the district of Brokopondo, as well as along the East-West Highway between Paramaribo and Albina, and the Afobakka Highway in the district of Para. There have been reports of attempted and actual carjackings committed by gangs along the East-West Highway. If you plan on traveling to the interior, you are advised to make use of well-established tour companies for a safer experience.

Don’t buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available. Not only are the bootlegs illegal in the United States, you may be breaking local law.

Suriname Penalties for Crime

Criminal Penalties

While you are traveling in Suriname, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different than our own. In Suriname you may be taken in for questioning if you don’t have your passport with you. In some places, it is illegal to take pictures of certain buildings, particularly government buildings. In some places driving under the influence could land you immediately in jail. If suspected of driving under the influence and caught in an accident, the Surinamese Police may not be able to measure the alcohol level on the scene; they will take you to the nearest medical center to measure blood alcohol content. You will be held by the police for up to six hours until the results of your blood alcohol content are determined.

There are also some things that might be legal in the country you visit, but still illegal in the United States. You can be prosecuted under U.S. law if you buy pirated goods. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in Suriname is a crime, which is also prosecutable in the United States. If you break local laws in Suriname, your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution. It’s very important to know what’s legal and what’s not where you are going.

Based on the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, bilateral agreements with certain countries, and customary international law, if you are arrested in Suriname, you have the option to request that the police, prison officials, or other authorities alert the nearest U.S. Embassy, which for Suriname is located in the capital city, Paramaribo.

Suriname Population Comparison

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